CJTF-HOA improves quality of life for villagers in Assamo

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Regina L. Brown | A young girl from the village of Assamo, Djibouti, waves a flag prior to a dedication ceremony, Nov. 29. The ceremony celebrated the completion of additions to the Assamo primary school, which included a three-room dormitory, outdoor eating area, kitchen, fence, solar panels, bathroom and three wells.  

12.03.2007

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Regina L. Brown 

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa

By Petty Officer 2nd Class Regina L. Brown
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Public Affairs

ASSAMO, Djibouti – Djiboutians from the village of Assamo welcomed some greatly needed new additions to their primary school, thanks to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. A dedication ceremony was held in the village to celebrate these accomplishments, Nov. 29.

CJTF-HOA paid for a contracting company to build a three-room female dormitory, outdoor eating area, kitchen, fence, and latrine with four stalls. A solar panel and an update of the plumbing system will provide the school with electricity and running water.

Further additions include three wells built by the 1132nd Engineering Detachment from the North Carolina National Guard. The school additions and three wells were all completed in August.

The 1132nd worked for over a week to repair weather damage to the roads leading to Assamo before bringing their equipment in to build the wells.

"I enjoy the fact that we're helping these villagers develop their living area," said Sgt. 1st Class William Brown, lead driller for the 1132nd. "We developed a good relationship with the locals here, they would bring us food in thanks for the work we did on the wells."

An eight-person team from the 1132nd worked on all three wells together, finishing the project in five weeks. The team would have been finished in three weeks, but due to seasonal rains, they were delayed an extra two weeks.

"This celebration is about all of the children. It is for them and their future that we have come together as friends to build new facilities and more security," said dedication officer, Navy Capt. Tom Broderick.

These new buildings and wells will not only provide a service for the villagers of Assamo, but the many surrounding nomadic families that travel through the area. The population using the facilities will fluctuate between 800 and 1,200, depending on the amount of nomads in the area.

Houssein Hildid, Assamo village chief, was very grateful for what the American service members have done for them. "The Americans have done much for our village," said Hildid. "Everyone is happy with the new wells and school additions."

The ceremony ended with the passing out of school supplies and soccer balls to the children, which quickly led to an impromptu game of soccer.

The school additions and new wells are all a part of CJTF-HOA's mission, which conducts unified action in the combined joint operations area of the Horn of Africa to prevent conflict, promote regional stability, and protect coalition interests in order to prevail against extremism.

"This is all about education and educating our children to build a better Djibouti and a better world," said Broderick.

• Date Taken: 12.03.2007
• Date Posted: 12.04.2007 02:35
• Story ID: 14395